Long-standing NHA handicapping manager Roger Smith is emigrating and will vacate his position at the end of September.
The NHA’s Manager of Handicapping, Roger Smith
Tabnews reports that the 56-year-old Smith was born and bred in Johannesburg, growing up in the Mondeor area. His grandparents were small-scale racehorse owners and breeders, which provided his first contact with a horsey environment.
“My grandmother Lorna used to take me to the stables of her brother-in-law Ernie Williams on a Sunday. Of course, in those days no under 18s were allowed on the racecourse, so you couldn’t go to the racing itself.
“My father used to play an odd jackpot and PA, but my parents weren’t involved in racing as such.”
His entry into a life of racing administration came in 1985.
“I was taken on as Assistant Handicapper to Jeff Moffatt at Gosforth Park, who was my early mentor. He was a very good influence – very accurate and meticulous.
“In those days things were very different. Each racing club had its own handicapper, so there was one at Turffontein, Newmarket and Gosforth Park, all working independently of one another. We used the race figure system, which meant a more or less fixed six-point penalty for each win.
“And there were no computers used; everything was done with handwritten cards. You would fill in the form line manually after each run, and then the next time the horse accepted you would have to find the card and work out the weight to be carried. I much prefer the way we do it now,” he adds with a laugh.
He also performed many other roles along the way.
“I was clerk of scales sometimes and was also involved in marketing and promotions. In more recent times I have also done duty as a judge on occasion when needed.”
“In 1988 I took up the position of Handicapper at Newmarket, but a year later Gauteng racing was rationalised into one body under the banner of the Highveld Racing Authority. I worked in handicapping and managed racing services, doing things like weights and acceptances.
“Then in September 1999 I moved to Turffontein and the NHRA, soon after the Merit Rating system was implemented, and have been here for exactly 19 years.
Roger has worked with quite a few handicappers along the way.
Mike Wanklin (photo: supplied)
“The late Colin Buckham gave me valuable advice and was very knowledgeable and experienced. I also worked with Mike Wanklin for a long period, and he is now working with us again as a consultant from overseas.
“Internationally I have found Nigel Gray from Hong Kong to be a good sounding board. He has always been very helpful when asked for input.”
Roger has seen many changes in his over three decades in racing, not all of it good.
“I still enjoy the competition and racing, but a lot of the on-course vibe has disappeared in modern times due to the drop in attendance. In days gone by there was much more mainstream interest in our sport.”
Many a great horse has come and gone in Roger’s time, but he singled out a few.
“Golden Loom was a special horse and a favourite of mine – he won with huge weights.
“Others that spring to mind are Horse Chestnut, Jungle Rock, the filly Roland’s Song, and more recently Variety Club – he was truly brilliant, and his Grade 1 win in Hong Kong where he thrashed Able Friend was quite sensational.”
Horse Chestnut – the first Triple Crown hero
An exciting potential new development in our handicapping is a proposal put forward by Smith, Mathew Lips and Mike Wanklin to the NHRA graded races committee to remove weight-for-age from the Merit Rating system and only work with nett ratings.
“This would make a big difference, but nothing has been agreed as yet.”
The impetus for Roger leaving both the NHRA and South Africa came when his wife Gerlind recently secured a senior position in Jersey, one of the British Channel Islands.
“They have racing in Jersey, but only about eight meetings a year. I’m keeping my future options open, but this chance to expand our horizons was impossible to turn down.”
Roger and Gerlind have two adult children, who will both be based in the Netherlands, only a short trip away.
The departure of Roger Smith will leave a big gap in our handicapping ranks, and replacing this dedicated and highly committed individual is going to be no easy task.
-Tabnews
